Guy Laroche Fidji: Be Strong for Me

Guy Laroche Fidji has been around longer than me. Like my husband, it is 51, and like him, it still smells great.

I first owned Fidji many moons ago, back in 1987 when I was dipping my toe in perfumed waters for the first time. I could have gone down the Fidji route, but once my head was turned by Cacharel LouLou in 1987, there was no going back.

A recent enquiry from reader Cassieflower (see my response here) had me thinking about Fidji again. I’ve been trying it at every opportunity and I can only find one single fault with it- the eau de parfum is nowhere to be seen. A giant bottle of eau de toilette is therefore in order for regular top ups. Apart from that, it’s perfect.

Fidji smells classic, like a mossy traditional scent. However, it opens more like Estee Lauder White Linen. In fact, when Cassieflower asked me what smells like Fidji, I think I should have said White Linen, because it’s a close-ish match.

Fidji has huge greenery in the opening, and that oakmoss comes out straight away. It has a powdery mustiness that you often find in aldehydes, and its framed with bright, feel good lemon and lime. Its fair to say tha the opening is dominated by green and bitter galbanum. Now, I like galbanum but its not everyone’s cup of tea. If you like Chanel Cristalle, Givenchy Ysatis or Lancome Magie Noire, then you might already be a galbanum fan. I’m a card-carrying fan club member myself so Fidji suits me down ot the ground.

After the citrussy and bright opening come the flowers: my favourites too. Hyacinths, violets, roses and jasmine emerge like a spring day. This gives Fidji a wonderfully old fashioned feel to my nose- soemthing I miss in the sea of modern stuff of late.

The flowers are long lasting and they pretty much stick around until bedtime. With an oakmoss and vetiver base rounding off my beloved green notes and cherished hyacinth and violets, this might just be top of the Christmas list this year. I saw a big 100ml bottle on sale today in my local House of Fraser for £37. I sprayed it on ( a LOT) at around 9.30am this morning and I’m still getting little wafts of sweet floral notes,: that is to say, sweet like a garden flower, not sweet like sugar. I should imagine this beauty doesn’t have the teeth of its earlier 1966 incarnation, but I’m glad to see it’s still around and still smelling fabulous. Like I do when I wear it and like you will when you try it.

6 thoughts on “Guy Laroche Fidji: Be Strong for Me”

Thank you! I’d forgotten about Fidji! Another fragrance that I used to wear in the ’80’s, when I had just started my first job – office work – and wanted to appear a little more grown up than my 21 years. Out with Charlie, in with Fidji!

I’d also forgotten about White Linen. I loved that, although it was quite strong and my boyfriend at the time was always grumbling when I sprayed it on. (He and his grumblings got worse, so eventually he became an ex, Hehe).

Hi Kathy, I love hearing people’s perfume memories. I love that this reminds you of your first job! I also love White Linen, but was late in appreciating that one. It’s a brilliant chypre that I love so much now it might even make it onto the FB list.

Hi Sam
I’m delighted you’ve reviewed this in such glowing terms. This was my first great perfume love (from about 1978 or thereabouts) and the affair is still going strong today. I agree that it isn’t quite the same as it started out but then no perfume that has been around for so long smells the same today. Reformulations are, unfortunately, inevitable. I’ve recently been very lucky to score both a vintage edt and parfum (swoon) from eBay. The parfum in particular is just heavenly. ❤️
So get thee to thy nearest perfume emporium and buy vats of this to ensure that it’s not discontinued.

This had been off my radar until you mentioned it and I included it in my Dear Aunty Sam article. It led me to revisting it and falling back in love- thank you! You’re right- we must buy it by the bucketload or they’ll think nobody likes it. I’m glad The Perfume Shop are stocking it alongside the mainstream stuff , although it’s behind the counter and nowhere near eye level, but you can’t have everything.
Fidji Forever! xx